debated. i had a chance to catch up with it democratic delegate at burns, who was a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage. they said one that person switch sides, but would not say who was. if the bill passes, it will head to the state senate. from there, it will go to governor o'malley, who is an open supporter of the bill. opponents say if this happens, they will bring it to a referendum for the voters to decide. if it passes, it would go into effect in january, 2013. an anne arundel county circuit court judge has ruled the so-called dream act can go on the ballot. the legislation would allow undocumented immigrants to attend maryland colleges at in- state tuition rates. state lawmakers passed a dream act, governor o'malley signed, but opponents have collected the

required number of signatures to force the issue onto the ballot. if it passes in maryland, they argue it was ineligible for the referendum, but the judge disagreed, clearing the way for the voters to decide. the merger with constellation energy is almost complete. they approved a $7.9 billion deal today. the decision follows months of wrangling from state officials and company executives over whether the deal was in the best interests of customers. governor o'malley initially opposed the merger, but conceded after the increased commitments to renewable energy and assistance to low-income residents. the deal is still awaiting approval from the federal regulatory commission. the state senate eventually voted to censure ulysses s. currie. he now has a diminished role at the state house. david collins continues our session 2012 coverage from annapolis. >> the ethics panel determined

and the senate agreed that senator currie used his position for personal gain and to help shoppers food warehouse. this is the first time in 14 years that the senate has chosen to censure one of its own. before being censured by unanimous vote, senator ulysses currie, seemingly humble and contrite, shook the hands of every senate member of the ethics panel. he looked them each in the eye and said, a job well done. the joint committee on the legislation and ethics investigated his relationship with shoppers food warehouse. the grocery store change paid him to order 45,000 others over five years as a consultant. -- they paid him $245,000 over five years as a consultant. the provide a written response to the committee's questions and the panel grilled him five hours. >> we are all here today to discuss an important and somewhat unpleasant matter, discipline in one of our own members. >> the panel submitted a 31-page

report that determine that career filed inaccurate and incomplete financial disclosure, failing to disclose the conflict of interest, failing to abstain from voting on matters of conflict of interest, and abuse the prestige of his office. >> after thoroughly reviewing the available evidence, the joint committee unanimously finds that senator currie's actions did violate the provisions of the public ethics law. >> the committee recommended censure. the panel suggested that senator currie be removed immediately and criminally as a member of the senate democratic leadership and says a public apology is in order. >> i accept the recommendation of the ethics committee and sincerely apologize to you. >> the somber mood in the chamber was so thick, you could almost brush away from your face . i >> will not make excuses. i'm a person with walls and i have witnesses. i never intended to do anything

that would bring dishonor to you, my wife, or me. i will take a couple minutes. >> the vote for accenture was unanimous. the colleagues said they felt it said it all. out of the last five years of my life have been very difficult. -- >> the last five years of my life have been very difficult. scott has tested my strength to keep going. >> mike miller described the sanctions as harsh and severe. the chamber was packed. one observer said that although korea apologized and said he would never do it again, what he cannot say is what i did was wrong. an interracial couple whose love was literally against the law back in the 1950's has done a lot of response from viewers.

barry simms joins us live with more. i found the story so fascinating, a lot of our viewers did as well? >> they did, the reaction has been tremendous, and some of that surprising. an antiquated and on just what impact it them. asked for an apology from the state. back in 1956, surely was indicted and tossed into jail for getting pregnant by a black man. the baby was placed in an orphanage for nearly two years. now the organization that ran the orphanage, contacted them sing or touched by the store. >> they invited us over for dinner. we took a tour of the building. >> for them to go through what they went through is phenomenal. it is off the charts, how they were able to preserve their love for one another.

>> they have been married more than 50 years and have three children. tonight, why the sisters want to reconnect and what they're doing to help the family learn more about their son's early years at the orphanage. closing arguments could begin as early as tomorrow in the murder trial of former uva across player yeardley love -- lacrosse player yeardley love. george huguely is accused of killing her. lowell melser has the latest. >> another day of a limited testimony in the george huguely murder trial as defense attorney called out sick yet again. the experts we spoke with said while the case has slowed down, it does not really affect either side. one thing is clear at this point -- both sides, including the judge, what this case to go to the jury, which should happen tomorrow.

with the defense attorney out a second day with what her co- council called a violently ill sickness, he went at it alone, calling what were supposed to be the defense posture last witnesses. virginia law expert told 11 news will put in a case virtually on hold today's really does not hurt anyone, it does tend to take the wind out of the sales. >> it is sort of anticlimactic for everybody. your adrenalin is up, then all the sudden, wham, you cannot put on the case that you want to put on, not on the schedule that you want. it is deflating to everybody. >> first to testify were two girls who were seniors in high school who visited uva at week before yeardley love was found dead. the camera or apartment at asked -- they said that yeardley love hit huguely with her purse. computer specialists also testified, that yeardley love's computer was only worth about

$150. in virginia, is a felony to steal anything over $200 and a felony and a commission of murder is considered first- degree murder. last to testify was huguely's aunt. she testified that she visited huguely twice, once in 2009, began may 1, 2010, and said that yeardley love is a very kind of situations and always sweet to her four kids. a surveillance video from may 1, which the media cannot see, was shown of the woman and her four kids, love, and huguely having dinner at a restaurant off campus. in the video, she described how love hugged her kids, was nice to them, and towards the end said you could see that love and huguely were holding hands. this was less than 24 hours before love was found dead. now with only a couple witnesses left, our legal expert feels that the jury should see the case sometime saturday. >> i think the judge will be moving hard to get the decision

on appeal or guilt or innocence started or hopefully finish tomorrow. at restarted tomorrow. >> as far as the time line, the defense has to be a medical witnesses left. the commonwealth has five rebuttal witnesses. whether all of this happens to more remains on how long it takes for the witnesses to be interviewed. we're still not sure if the closing arguments will be heard tomorrow or sometime next week. will be here tomorrow with an update in the afternoon at 6:00. live from charlottesville, lowell melser, wbal tv 11 news. there is much more news ahead. >> this is rod daniels in rome. the excitement is building in baltimore and advance of tomorrow's elevation ceremony. >> and the seasons have changed, scholars arrive in baltimore. >> some rain to the south and

west, the developing storm that could get here over the weekend. the details coming up. right now, 49 degrees at the airport, 52 degrees at the inner harbor.

talk of a winter storm possibly getting here over the weekend, but outside today, just another mild day in the winter

of 2011-2012. 53 degrees at the airport, 54 inner harbor. feels like we're living in charlotte, north carolina. the normal is 45, so we are well above that. the record, a balmy 76 degrees, 1976. seven. inch pieces of snow -- 7.8 inches of snow bacchant 1893. the abundant clear sky allowed for lots of sunshine, temperatures above freezing in western maryland, 40's and low 50's in baltimore. 52 at the inner harbor, 49 salzburg, 51 of ocean city. -- 49 salisbury, 51 ocean city. light wind out of the west, the sun went down at 5:45. the temperatures will be chilly tonight. as the high pressure moves through, the sky will be clear and the wind will be light. that will warm again tomorrow,

48 chicago, may 56 lewis. -- middle 50's st. louis. all of the computer models indicate the jet stream will pull some of the cold air into the mid-atlantic saturday night. tomorrow will be mild, but the storm will be developing and forming tomorrow, getting stronger, bringing all of the cloudy weather from the gulf coast to the north. while this cold is moving slowly to the south saturday night, the worcester on the gulf coast will move north. where they collide, that is where the worst of the winter weather will be. right now, looks like a primary target is right here, the virginia-west virginia border area, eastern kentucky. this looks like it will be the main collision between the cold air from eastern canada and the moisture from the gulf coast. the computer model, after morning sun, the clouds moved in. sunday, the cops get thicker. sunday morning looks like a

cloudy start, -- sunday, the clouds get thicker, sunday morning looks like a cloudy start. after noon sunday, into sunday evening, sunday night, that is what we have the chance of winter weather. there is more substantial snow in west virginia, western virginia, the shenandoah valley, the western suburbs of d.c. the storm is not going to head towards new england like a classic nor'easter. it will get to the carolina outer banks and move out to sea. that means the quick hitting store for us sot afternoon, sunday night, but monday morning it is gone. if it holds this track, and that is a big "if," because this storm is showing all kinds of variability, but all the correct track, this purple. is 12-18 inches of snow. we are in this blue shaded region, which indicates 3-6 inches. that is what it is looking like for us sunday afternoon into

sunday night. tomorrow, we start with sunshine, 49-54, southwest wind. western maryland, 40's. the snow returns sunday, several inches of snow, the temperatures colder and the mountains above western maryland. 52 on the eastern shore, then a rain/snow makes it north of kent county. at the cecil county may have all snow on sunday, anywhere from 2- 4, 3 inches of snow. 53 ocean city, rain is likely sunday on the lower eastern shore, although that may change into snow late sunday night into monday morning. tomorrow is quiet. the storm rolls through sunday night. monday, it is gone, sunshine. tuesday, the tipsters back to 50. -- the temperatures back to 50. >> i have a lot of happy memories to take with me. >> this morning, cardinal

designate edwin o'brien who is in rome talk live with students at our lady of mount carmel elementary school. he spoke to them via sky pe. >> cardinal designate o'brien is one of 22 archbishops that will be elevated to borrow in the ceremony in rome. rod daniels is there as well. >> it is now less than 24 hours until the elevation ceremony. tonight, inside of this beautiful church, there was a very special service for all of ure cardinals, including on own edwin o'brien. >> as he places the bread on the head of cardinal o'brien and the 21 other cardinals, there is a

reminder to each one that the color that they wear, the red, is symbolic of the blood they are called to shed if necessary for the unity and the growth of the church. >> after the mass, we spoke with some of the baltimore faithful who made the pilgrimage. >> we are just so pleased to help celebrate with cardinal o'brien. and the rest of the folks here from baltimore. >> when the holy father calls out at what o'brien, what will you be feeling? >> it is a tremendous opportunity to be here with him. >> it is a great honor for cardinal o'brien, and with his new assignment. we will miss him in baltimore. >> one family brought 12 members

to rome. airport of a family from crownsville. >> it is an extreme honor to be here. one of the most sacred ceremonies that we can attend a catholic church. >> in just a few short hours, it will officially be a cardinal edward o'brien. >> 11 news is the only local tv station in rome for the elevation, and rod daniels has continuing coverage tonight at 11:00, and wbal tv 11 will broadcast the entire ceremony starting tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. big expectations have begun for the hopkins men's lacrosse team. there are hosting towson this evening in the home opener. even up the score in the first. the opening minutes of the game,

but plummer, the one-hopper, ties it. the assist. the tigers had the 2-1 lead. in the second, from the right side, the tigers in front, 3-2. hopkins with three unanswered goals in the second quarter. fires into the net. right now, going into the third quarter, johns hopkins in front of towson, 7-3. considerably lower expectations will great orioles pitchers and catchers this weekend when the report for the start of spring training. they carry the burden of 14 straight losing seasons into this year. they have several new faces in spring training this year. chancesk of the orioles' for a rebound ride on the arm of the young pitchers. the orioles hitters will not have to worry about facing

knuckleballers-year, at least not the most prominent. tim wakefield announced his retirement today. he did not have a guaranteed spot on the red sox roster their share. he leaves with 186 wins with the red sox, the second most in team history behind only roger clemens. the afc north looks like the landing pad for the former head coaches. jackson, also the ravens former quarterback coach, will coach defensive backs in cincinnati. jim caldwell joined ravens this of-season, and taught haley joined the steelers as their offensive coordinator. the n.c.a.a. tournament still looks like a reach for the terps basketball team. they improved to 5-6 in the acc, beating boston college. part of the 20-3 run. the terps put away the eagles early.

the terps were likely have to win their last four games get and at large bid. but that kind of run remains possible. 81-65 win last night. the terps travel to virginia tomorrow afternoon. stay with us. tom tasselmyer has a look at the seven-day forecast. seven-day forecast. ahead.

the 2-4-6-8 value menu's got the everyday value slam, classic burger, build your own chicken wrap, cheese quesadilla, chicken parmesan, all you can eat pancakes, cordon bleu melt, the new cookie skillet a la mode. whew. so many choices, so little airtime. the 2-4-6-8 value menu. only at denny's. coming up tonight, same-sex marriage could be one step closer to laws in maryland as we await the crucial vote at the

state house. plus, the latest on the foiled plot to blow up the u.s. capitol in washington.

presidents' day weekend usually means winter weather, but tomorrow it will still be 51 degrees. then the cold comes and tomorrow night, a chance of snow sunday afternoon. >> we will be ready. thank you for joining us. nbc nightly news with brian

williams is next. >> have a great evening. ♪

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